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devastare

to devastate

verb deh-vah-STAH-reh Rare

Origin: Latin devastare (to lay waste)

Also means

to ruin

Usage Note

Devastare takes avere as its auxiliary in compound tenses (ha devastato = it devastated). It is used for natural disasters (il terremoto ha devastato la città), but also colloquially to mean to ruin or crush someone emotionally or in competition. The adjective form is devastante (devastating).

Examples

"Il terremoto ha devastato il villaggio."

Natural Translation

The earthquake devastated the village.

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